The mountain king gang hmmm James mused he had gotten a report of the various brigand groups that have sprung up in this region and this mountain king gang was one of the better-known gang as it was one of the middle-grade gang with a late stage mountain expert named one eye as chief and three vice chiefs who were at the middle houtian stage, they were a great band of criminal who were both cautious and ruthless which was why they survived when the army sent soldier against them.

“It will be like other times do not kill them but capture them am almost through with my experiment and this would be the last batch okay” James “mockingly smirked an air of ruthlessness in his eye

When the bandits had this a vein could almost be seen popping out of their head “ you dared talk to the mountain king gang like that you will pay for this insult men attack and teach this men a lesson for disrespecting the great mountain gang” the missing tooth leader shouted then ferocious attacked with his men an air of bloodlust could be seen this aura alone would have made James hesitate in the beginning but the tempering in which they have had gone through this past week on their journey had steeled them and they were calm although this bandits are a group of people who swam through blood they couldn’t resist James and his guards because of the levels and higher level of expertise and were quickly captured.

“ Mr. Bernard I don’t think this is merely a case of banditry because of displacement from the war since the number of bandits that we had seen was up to thirty groups in number with seven to twenty people in a group and there were three to five houtian experts in each group this kind of number is astounding “ James mumbled while frowning deeply as cultivators were mostly nobles and their talented retainer although there were commoners who received legacies from dead cultivators thereby entering the world of cultivation.

“Yes young master this seems suspicious there are too many cultivators and if not for our level of cultivation we would have died multiple times already something is fishy” Mr. Bernard was also frowning this wasn’t just now that he found out as he had been having his suspicions for a while now he just did to get his young master worried which was why he did not say anything .

“Anyway we should not worry ourselves about the inner workings of these as we would gain no benefits only problems the kind of people that would be able to field the number of experts we are seeing are too hot for us to handle and if we put our feet’s in such muddy waters we would sink “ James said with a dark smirk on his face while musing

“The nihility drug is almost complete I have almost ironed out all the kinks in the formula and by testing in it on those few criminals I would check if it was completed, the nihility drug was a medicine which he produced when it is breathed in by houtian stage experts it will first disperse his spiritual energy thereafter the scattered spiritual energy will gather in the veins and arteries that move to the brain thereby killing the victims although it is less effective on xiantian experts James thought that it will at least scatter their spiritual energy which will help tip the war in their favor as most wars are fought by houtian and xiantian experts with transcending mortality experts and earth realm experts as commanders.

“James was getting more and more worried about this wars as the way it was going was strange, the state of the emperor seclusion and the emperor's ancestors silence and now this outbreak of cultivator as bandits he felt that if he let the war continue this way it would be dangerous to him”.

“Mr. Bernard we are going to take a rest here once am through tonight as my research is almost through we will go straight to the warfront without detours or pit stops okay I am worried about father in this war as the hidden forces in this war are very dangerous”

“Yes young master we would set up camp straight away” the three guards bowed and started setting camp.

immediately after they left Mr. Bernard went to James and whispered “young master I hope you know what you are doing as this could affect your heart which would reduce your control over your soul and you know the stringent conditions of the soul required for martial arts so I hope you don’t block your own future path” a look of worry was seen on Bernard’s eyes as he looked at James and he had reasons to worry as the screams he heard on James research tent was horrific and that he had also seen what experiment was about and how much it would help the war which was why he let him continue with it but he couldn’t help but worry about him.

“I am okay Mr. Bernard and today is the last day of my experiments I have collected all the data I could need from the test subjects and I just want to verify some of the assumptions I have already made then being set and this won’t affect my hearts as this is bandit and criminals who have murdered and pillaged throughout this land and that with their deaths they helped this region is their greatest redemption” cold light could be seen flashing in James' eyes as he said this he was born on the streets and his parent left him so he had to take care of himself on the streets and he worked hard to survive until he was fifteen years old when Andre’s parents adopted him because of his brilliant mind even after that he was very antisocial which caused to make very few friends .

But the lesson that the street thought him that when he was hit he should hit back ten times harder and that he should never let his guard down once he broke one of this rules his best friend killed him so doing this to this people absolutely won’t affect him as he had a strong mental constitution and he hated people who kill and hurt people for no good reason although he was no saint he believed that if you did something you should do it with thought and doing it just for the fun of it was a pretty illogical and stupid thing to do and he hated stupid people the most he might forgive you even if you are murderer but he wouldn’t forgive those who did stupid things and hurt other peoples plans.

“I hope it as you said young master I am off to train” then he turned and left. A few minutes later screams terrifying screams could be heard from James research center two hours later no new sound could be heard from the room James come out practiced his technique then went to bed.

The next day they woke up early ate their dinner set their horses at full gallop then went on with their journey although they had more encounters with bandits they finished them quickly and without them needing to capture them alive their fights was fairly easy.

Although the journey was odious and torturous on the third day they saw the rainbow mountain which was where rainbow fort was located and which viscount Carey has chosen to make his stand they then decided to set their tent although it was evening because this was where the imperial army it was safe because no one who dare act up in front of the imperial army and if anyone dared to attack someone in front of the imperial army will be wiped out along with clan, the next morning they continued their journey as they were two hours into their journey and as they were seeing the camp they heard a booming voice shout from the palisade.

“Halt show your identification and state your purpose” after this voice heard a group of black armored men with spears could be seen walking on top of the palisade James couldn’t help but suck in his breath as he saw this man were all middle stage xiantian experts same as Bernard who was the third strongest person after his father sir Eric and Uncle Sam.

“This is the power of the imperial army middle stage xiantian experts are guarding its gate even though this is just a single division although this is because of the war I heard that you have to be at least a peak houtian stage cultivator and also defeat five peak houtian experts before you are qualified to join their auxiliary army to join the main army is even more odious to join alas I do not know the trials one has to go through to become” James said to no one in particular, then he brought his out fathers signet and shouted back

” I am James raindragon son of Eric raindragon knight of baron Edwin I am here to see my father can you inform him that I am here” James said politely to the black armored guards this was not like the guards at baron Edwin’s castle this were very talented and powerful cultivators who had a chance of reaching the earth realm so along the resources of the imperial clan it is almost guaranteed that they would reach the transcending mortality realm although they would be sworn to serve and protect the imperial family they still had the pride of genius and with the support of the imperial family few organization would be able to do anything to them so they deserved to be arrogant.

“well then wait here I would go and send your message” one of the guards still looking as cold as ever then turned and went to the one of the watchtower where there as a communication rune that as located in the tower a few minutes later James could see his father and Uncle Sam along with a few soldiers could be seen walking to towards them at a brisk pace.

“son how I you kip told us you were coming but I didn’t know you would make it here that fast with the bandit infestation come son lets go in and discuss more” Sir Eric said as soon he reached James

“James, it’s good that you are here staying here with just your father is as boring as hell and with how stiff he is this place is almost making me kill myself you are my salvation” uncle Sam said with exaggerated gestures of boredom the other’s couldn’t help but laugh uncle Sam would always bring life to anywhere he was and James as glad that he survived.

“Yes uncle I will come with you and we will have fun, okay we will even prank some of the men I know how you like to do that kind of stuff,” James said while laughing.

“Remember that’s a promise okay,” Uncle Sam said with seriousness in his eye

“Alright that’s enough fun and games come son a banquet has been prepared to welcome you and to celebrate your breakthrough to the refining marrow realm within just six months although I couldn’t be with you when it happened kip has been keeping me informed of everything and you are even defeating late stage houtian experts wonderful ” a look of pride could be seen on sir Eric eyes then turned and with James and uncle Sam next to him they set off, the banquet as a small and short affair which was according to the knights character after which he sent the men off and then turned to James

“Son I believe we have something to discuss”.